Nickelodeon Universe
The park's new licensing deal and name, "Nickelodeon Universe", was announced on July 25, 2007. Construction began on August 27, 2007, work was completed in sections so 80 percent to 90 percent of the park remained accessible at all times. Nickelodeon Universe was completed on March 15, 2008. New rides include SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge, a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter style coaster themed after the Nickelodeon show SpongeBob SquarePants, the Splat-O-Sphere, a tower drop-ride in the center of the park, and the Avatar Airbender, a surf-rider attraction located in the center of the park as well and Brain Surge which is on the side of the park. The shooting gallery beneath the Ripsaw/Orange Streak roller coaster was gutted and was replaced by Rugrats Reptarmobiles. The site of the Mystery Mine Ride was completely demolished to make way for SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge. This site also included an Old Time Photography studio and restrooms. Old Time Photography relocated into the mall (but not within the park) and restrooms did not return in this section of the park. The site of Yogi's Big Rescue was reformatted into Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast. Levy Restaurants partnered with Nickelodeon Universe to include a themed restaurant at the park. The restaurant was called EATS and is located in the former Park at MOA food court. Recently, the partnership ended; the EATS area closed and was replaced with a butterfly display. On March 12, 2008, the Star Tribune reported that the price of ride points, daily wristbands, and, in particular, annual passes, would take a significant price hike once the park transitioned to Nickelodeon Universe. The price for an annual pass, which had remained $99 per year since the park opened in 1992, would increase to $250, and daily wristbands would be raised from $24.95 to $29.95. Then in 2014, prices rose to where they currently stand at $32.99 for a daily wristband. On April 2015, the price for the annual pass drops down to $139. Some decreed the price increases as being unjustifiably high when compared to other parks, such as much larger Walt Disney World at $249.95 and local park Valleyfair at $79.95–$99.95. Others defended the pricing as necessary to accommodate the millions of dollars of investment needed to rebrand the park as Nickelodeon Universe. Even though the Nickelodeon cable channel changed their logo in September 2009, Nickelodeon Universe still continued to use a variant of the splat logo. The old logo was phased out after the new, all-text Nickelodeon Universe logo was revealed in an ad for the park's New Year's Eve event. The new logo has now replaced all of the old logos on the website, and in the park. Attractions *Pepsi Orange Streak *Danny Phantom's Ghost Zone *Tak Attack *Avatar Airbender *Jimmy Neutron's Atomic Collider *Fairly Odd Coaster *SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge *Americana Carousel *Crazy Cars *Ghost Blasters *Log Chute *El Circulo De Cielo *The Backyardigans Swing-Along *Rugrats Reptarmobiles *Balloon Race *La Adventura De Azul *Pineapple Poppers *Diego's Rescue Rider *Wonder Pets Flyboat *Back At The Barnyard Hayride *Blue's Skidoo *Swiper's Sweeper *Big Rigs *Splat-O-Sphere *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shell Shock *Shredder's Mutant Masher *BrainSurge *Barnacle Blast *Flyover America *Bubble Guppies Guppy Bubbler Category:List